Universal carbon monoxide alarms
3 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jan 13, 2019. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 3reports to CPSC
- Jan 13, 2019the latest report was made
- May 27, 2017the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Universal
- Maker
- USI ElectricMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Carbon monoxide alarmsCPSC’s product type: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (code 712), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Home Security
Other ways the reports write the brand (1)
“Universal Security instruments inc”
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| January 2019 | 1 |
| November 2018 | 1 |
| May 2017 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- No one hurt 3 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
-
No one hurt Made Jan 13, 2019, sent to the company Feb 22, 2019, published by CPSC Mar 11, 2019
The product, in the report: Universal Model MCN400 Carbon Monoxide and Natural Gas alarm
The carbon monoxide and natural gas alarm made by UNIVERSAL, MODEL #MCN400, failed to function when I turned on the gas on my stove without a lite flame. I tested the battery which was fully charged and tested the alarm both plugged in and directly over the non-lit flame multiple times. This natural gas monitor is UNSAFE and should be recalled because gas can leak or be left on and this alarm fails to beep. Go on amazon.com to see similar complaints.
- Model
- MCN400
- Bought from
- Con Edison
- Where
- New York, New York: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Universal, made or sold by USI Electric
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Nov 26, 2018, sent to the company Feb 14, 2019, published by CPSC Mar 4, 2019
The product, in the report: Universal carbon monoxide and natural gas detector
On November 24, 2018 my Universal Carbon Monoxide and natural gas detector model #MCN400 that is in my residence began to alarm. The alarm was for natural gas. Immediately after the alarm went off I could smell something burning in the vicinity of the detector. I checked the detector and noticed a burn or singe mark near a vent on the device. I unplugged the detector to prevent further harm or fire. I evacuated my residence and the alarm was found to be false.
I contacted Universal and made them aware of the incident. They refuse to replace the detector nor do they want to investigate it any further.
- Model
- MCN400
- Bought from
- Amazon, Pennsylvania
- Bought
- Nov 1, 2015, about then
- Where
- Glen Mills, Pennsylvania: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Universal Security instruments inc, made or sold by USI Electric
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made May 27, 2017, sent to the company Aug 4, 2017, published by CPSC Aug 18, 2017
The product, in the report: This is a plug in carbon monoxide detector alarm that also has a battery. Manufecat date Oct 2013. Purchased from Amazon Dec 2016
While at work, my Universal plug in carbon monoxide alarm began beeping that the battery was low. I live alone but my daughter happened to stop by at lunch time and heard it sounding. She went to the plug and found the device smoking and burned and the wall outlet was melted and burned as well. It looks as though the alarm overheated and would have caught fire had my daughter not stopped by.
- Model
- MCND401
- Bought from
- Amazon
- Where
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Universal, made or sold by USI Electric
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
-
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.